Mapping the Psyche

An Introduction to Psychological Astrology, by Clare Martin

Lesson Four: Jupiter and Saturn

Jupiter and Saturn form another pair of opposites
which can be broadly defined as the principles of expansion and contraction,
faith and fear, enthusiasm and inhibition. When these two planets are
supporting each other, Saturn will provide structure and shape to the
vision and faith of Jupiter. Without Saturn, Jupiter would remain ungrounded
and unrealistic, unable to manifest itself in the world. Without Jupiter,
there would be no purpose or meaning to the structures created by Saturn.
Jupiter is the entrepreneur with the
vision, and Saturn is the ability to turn the vision into reality. We
need both.

As social planets Jupiter and Saturn describe our
experiences of the outside world and what we therefore expect from
the world. From a developmental point of view, Jupiter and Saturn begin
to come into their own as we stand on the threshold of adulthood. When
the time comes for us to engage with the world as adults, to find work
and to support ourselves emotionally and financially, we discover that,
according to the nature of Jupiter and Saturn in our charts, our assumptions
about how easy or difficult this will be, will be confirmed by the
world's response.

Audience: So are you saying that, where these two planets
are involved, we get what we expect?

Clare: Yes, and this is a very important point. For example,
as the principle of faith, enthusiasm and expansion, the world will
often 'oblige' by giving us a charmed path according to the Jupiter
position in our charts. As the principle of fear and inhibition, Saturn
is equally pleased to oblige us by providing the obstacles and difficulties
we anticipate, therefore reinforcing our expectations of the world.

Audience: Does this mean that if we change our expectations
then the world's response will also change?

Clare: The short answer to this question is yes, but of course
it is not as simple as it sounds because there is a natural balancing
mechanism in the psyche between the principles of Jupiter and Saturn,
which points to the fact that they need to be equally acknowledged
and developed. According to the law of opposites, every polarity, pushed
to its extreme, will become its opposite. For example, if we push our
luck where Jupiter is concerned, we will eventually become excessively
arrogant, overbearing, complacent and careless. This will evoke Saturn,
and we will find ourselves alone to the extent that we are excluded,
restricted or rejected. On the other hand, if we give Saturn his due,
take nothing for granted, take the long hard road, suffer isolation,
pessimism and periods of depression, eventually we may find, if we
are fortunate, that a deep 'hard won' faith gradually emerges which,
built on the hard rock of experience, nobody can take away from us.
We will have found Jupiter. Clearly, neither extreme is advisable!
We need to develop a positive relationship to both these planets in
our birth charts, so that neither one becomes too extreme and each
supports the other.

As social planets, Jupiter rules the benevolent face
of society and Saturn rules the restrictive face of society. Jupiter
rules our civic rights and all the amenities provided by the government
or by society for the benefit of civilians: employment protection and
equal opportunities laws, child and unemployment benefits, legal aid,
hospitals, refuse collection, sports centres, concert halls, libraries,
schools and universities. In this sense, Jupiter rules the 'they' whose
job it is to provide all these services. As children, or for as long
as we remain psychologically infantile, we expect 'them' to be the
benevolent parents who provide for all our needs without us having
to do anything.

Saturn rules the stern face of society and all the laws
and amenities which are put in place for the safety and necessary containment
of civilians: the police force and armed services, prisons and detention
centres, rules and regulations, law courts, fines, penalties, punishments,
imprisonment. As children, or for as long as we remain psychologically
infantile, we tend to experience 'them' as restricting critical parents
against whom we can rail but who wield power over us as long as we
remain under their control.

Ultimately, the principles of Jupiter and Saturn need
to be owned and integrated within our own psyches if we are to become
psychologically adult. This means that we need to find our own Jupiter,
our own god or gods, beliefs and principles which give our lives meaning,
and these may in fact be quite different from the culture in which
we live. And we need to find our own Saturn, our own inner authority
and our own personal laws by which we live. If we can develop these
two principles in such a way that they are no longer projected or carried
by society for us, then we can make a positive and useful and valuable
contribution to the society in which we live.

"Mapping the Psyche" by Clare Martin is a transcript of the first term
of an introductory course in astrology given for the Centre
for Psychological Astrology. In this first of three volumes,
the basic building blocks of astrological language are presented.
The reader is taken on a fascinating journey through the solar
system, the ancient planetary gods, and the energies and motivations
s ymbolised by their astrological equivalents; and then through
the signs of the zodiac, their elements and qualities, and the
ways in which different planets express through them. Alchemical
symbolism is included as a parallel map of the individual journey.
The book is well-illustrated, and is worthwhile reading for both
the beginner as well as the more advanced astrological student.

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